Home » EUROPE » Sip, Savor, and Save: How Greece and Portugal Are Offering Unforgettable Wine Tours for World Wine Tourism Day 2025!
Published on
November 9, 2025
As the Sunday skies over vineyards across Europe brighten on World Wine Tourism Day 2025, travellers are invited to step into the rows of vines in Greece and Portugal and join a global celebration that is reshaping rural tourism and viticulture communities. In Greece, the national wine‑route initiative under the banner of the European Network of Wine Cities (RECEVIN) highlights the second Sunday of November as a dedicated moment of discovery. Meanwhile Portugal is leveraging the event via its regional municipalities such as Oeiras to open historic wineries and cultural experiences to the visiting public.
A global celebration rooted in local terroir
First established in 2009 as the European Wine Tourism Day, the event turned global in 2019 and now unites wine‑regions, tourism boards and rural economies in one annual observance. On the day itself, vineyards open their gates for tours, tastings, cultural activities and gastronomic pairings. In Greece the event runs from 11:00 to 17:00 and allows visitors to engage directly with winemakers and their craft.
Greece: Top wine‑destinations participating
Greece has several standout regions where wine tourism is strong and visitor‑friendly:
Santorini (Cyclades Islands) – Famous for its volcanic soil and the Assyrtiko grape, this island is a top wine‑tour destination in Greece.Naoussa (Northern Greece, Macedonia) – The PDO Naoussa area is recognised for the Xinomavro grape and increasingly invites visitors.Peloponnese (Mainland Greece) – Known for the wine‑routes of Nemea and elsewhere, offering vineyard visits and tastings.
These regions reflect Greece’s effort to position vineyard‑tourism beyond the typical beach or city break, linking heritage, terroir and travel.
Why Greece continues to shine
Regions across Greece — including Northern Greece, the Peloponnese, Crete and the Aegean and Ionian islands — are part of the “Wine Roads of Greece” initiative and will feature dozens of participating wineries this year. For many winemaking associations, the event presents a dual opportunity: to showcase regional heritage and to draw visitors into less‑trafficked rural zones, thereby reinforcing the tourism economy beyond major city hubs.
In Northern Greece, for example, 8 mapped wine‑routes and around 27 wineries joined the celebration in 2024. Free entrance and guided tastings of new and aged vintages were offered — making the experience both accessible and experiential.
Portugal’s distinctive contribution
In Portugal, the municipality of Oeiras features a dedicated programme covering 8–9 November, linking winery tours and historic sites in the country’s demarcated wine environments. Portugal’s tourism authority has also signalled the strategic importance of wine‑tourism via a dedicated portal for foreign visitors, streamlining routes and promotion.
Tourism impact: more than just wine
From the perspective of travel & tourism, the event is significant for several reasons:
Rural revitalisation: Wine regions often lie off the beaten path; opening them to tourists helps distribute visitor loads and supports local businesses beyond the major resorts.Experience‑based travel: Modern tourists increasingly seek immersive, authentic experiences — from vineyard tours to wine‑and‑food pairing, to walking trails through vines.Destination diversification: Destinations like Greece and Portugal utilise wine tourism to balance seasonal peaks and boost visitation across shoulder seasons and rural zones.Brand building: Wine regions leverage the day to strengthen their global tourism profile, aligning viticulture, culture and hospitality in one package.Portugal: Key wine‑tour regions to watch
Portugal’s wine tourism infrastructure is well established, with several regions standing out:
Douro Valley (Douro) – One of the world’s oldest demarcated wine regions, terraced vineyards along the Douro River offer rich wine‑tourism experiences.Alentejo (Southern Portugal) – This large wine region hosts numerous wine‑tourism units, ideal for vineyard visits and rural stays.Vinho Verde (North‑west Portugal) – Known for crisp, youthful wines and a greener landscape, it offers a more relaxed vineyard experience.
Together, these Portuguese regions host many of the winery‑tour operations and are central to the country’s wine‑tourism offer.
Traveler guidance for 2025
Visitors planning to participate this year may bear the following in mind:
Plan ahead: Although many wineries offer free access or special programmes, booking tours or transfers is advised given limited capacity and remote locations.Extend your stay: Pair the vineyard visit with local cuisine, village accommodation or scenic hikes to fully benefit the region’s hospitality economy.Choose off‑beat routes: While established regions are busy, emerging wine trails often provide more intimate experiences and fewer crowds.Respect sustainability: With increased visitor flows, choosing wineries that practice sustainable viticulture and respect local ecosystems enhances the long‑term health of the region.Looking ahead: growth through celebration
This year’s celebration of World Wine Tourism Day underscores a broader trend: enotourism (wine tourism) is no longer a niche interest but a meaningful contributor to regional tourism strategies. The integration of vineyards into tourism‑ecosystems allows destinations to connect agriculture, heritage and hospitality in one narrative. The Global Wine Tourism Organization (GWTO) among others is actively promoting sustainable development of wine destinations and their visitor offerings.
Conclusion
With a glass raised to the vine‑covered hills of Greece and the sun‑lit vineyards of Portugal, Wine Tourism Day 2025 invites travellers to become part of a story far richer than a mere wine‑tasting stop. It offers an emotional journey through terroir, tradition and taste — and invites each visitor to leave enriched, inspired and connected.
Dining and Cooking